SAIPAN — The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation issued a public health advisory Thursday urging households still dealing with floodwater damage from Super Typhoon Sinlaku to follow eight safety steps when cleaning up mold, citing CDC water-emergency guidance.
CHCC said mold can begin growing within 24 to 48 hours of flooding, making fast action critical to protect health and limit further property damage.
The advisory calls on residents to wear personal protective equipment when cleaning, including rubber gloves, an N-95 mask, and eye protection to shield the skin, nose, mouth, and eyes.
Anything wet with floodwater that cannot be cleaned and dried completely within 24 to 48 hours should be taken outside, CHCC said. Households should air out work spaces by opening doors and windows wherever safe to do so, and use fans and dehumidifiers to remove moisture once electricity is safe to use.
The agency warned residents not to mix cleaning products and specifically not to mix bleach and ammonia, which can create toxic vapors.
Surfaces should be scrubbed with water and detergent, all visible mold should be removed, and the surfaces should be dried right away. CHCC said painting or caulking over mold will not stop it from growing. Households should fix the underlying water problem completely and clean up all the mold before painting or caulking.
The advisory’s final guidance is to dry the home and everything in it as quickly as possible, ideally within 24 to 48 hours.
CHCC’s full guidance is available at chcc.health and on the agency’s Facebook and Instagram pages at @cnmichcc. The underlying CDC water-emergency communication resources are available at cdc.gov.
